(Esplanade Concert Hall. First published on http://musicians.com.sg. All rights reserved. No part of this may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form without permission in writing from the author.)
Smetana, My Fatherland: The
Chopin, Piano Concerto in F# minor, Op. 21
Lan Shui was in his element, commanding the orchestra with a startling directness, drawing fresh energy from perhaps the most tired portion of the repertoire in the first half, The Moldau. The fine work of the woodwinds at the beginning of the movement deserves special mention. Lan Shui practically danced on the stage in the sections of folk music which were incorporated into the score. Whilst these folk touches may seem quaint to a modern day audience, the conductor convincingly pulled out all the stops to revel in the sheer joy of rhythm and melody.
The Moldau stands as the dramatic centerpiece framed by the stately tone poem The High Castle, and the primitivist closing tone poem Šárka (the title derives from the name of the legendary prehistoric woman warrior). Whilst the three pieces are contrasting in style, it is not entirely clear that the decision to play them in succession is appropriate for the concert format; Smetana had not intended this. Many programmes which feature exhaustive studies of a certain group of works (such as a full concert of Beethoven symphonies) seem to be guided more by a musicological inquisitiveness, than a concern for the audience’s interest level. The insipid harmonies and textures of the first tone poem (in spite of the SSO’s valiant effort) detracted from the overall effectiveness of the programme in the first half.
It is inevitable that when a pianist tackles the epitome of pianistic writing, he will be compared with other recent virtuosos who have practically defined the two Chopin piano concertos. Individual taste will vary; personally, I have not heard anything that even comes close to the brilliance of Kissin’s 84 recording of both concertos (made when he was 12), and Zimerman’s elegiac poetry in his performance of the first concerto at the Royal Festival Hall in London (1999, at Chopin 150, commemorating the 150th anniversary of the composer’s death).
As a pianist who has recorded both concertos on a period instrument - a 1851 fortepiano from the manufacturer Erard - Ax’s interpretation could potentially be of great interest. Unfortunately, the performance came across as rather uninspired. Aside from the questionable ritardandos that occurred at almost every phrase (which is not a feature of period performance), Ax’s execution of the pianistic figuration was rather heavy handed, and lacking in shape. Unwieldy bumps made appearances in some of the cantabile passages, and the evenness of tone through both hands in unison passages was not always guaranteed. The orchestra was continuously too soft in extended passages and failed in its role as accompaniment. Ax seems to have delighted the audience, though; two encores were called for and the evening closed with the pianist having impressed many with his technical display.
